1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus.
2. Description of Related Art
A prior art image processing apparatus having a reading unit for reading an image formed on an original document includes an automatic color selection (ACS) function. The ACS function distinguishes whether the image read by the reading unit is a multi-color image or a monochrome image.
Japanese Un-examined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-352751 discloses an image forming apparatus, an image forming method, a program, and a recording medium for reading an image by modification of reading resolution with respect to each multi-color or monochrome image based on a distinction provided by the ACS function.
The image forming apparatus disclosed in the above document reads the multi-color or monochrome image based the reading resolution designated by an operator beforehand. Moreover, the image forming apparatus disclosed in the above publication executes a reading operation on the image according to the higher reading resolution as between the designated reading resolution of the multi-color image and the designated reading resolution of the monochrome image.
Here, assuming that the reading resolution is designated by the operator, the reading resolution of the multi-color image is higher than that of the monochrome image. In a case where the ACS function determines that a target image to be read is the multi-color image, the image forming apparatus disclosed in the above document applies the reading resolution of the multi-color image with respect to all of the original documents. Consequently, the image forming apparatus disclosed in the above document applies the reading resolution of the multi-color image even to the monochrome image.
Such application of the reading resolution of the multi-color image to the monochrome image causes some problems. For example, the application of high reading resolution to the monochrome image increases the volume of data of the monochrome image since the monochrome image is normally read by application of a low reading resolution. Such an increased data volume of the monochrome image may cause a reduction in the memory of the image forming apparatus. Moreover, since the monochrome image is read with high resolution, the image forming apparatus consumes a longer time period to read a monochrome image than a time period consumed to read a monochrome image with low resolution.
The present invention provides an image processing apparatus capable of reading a multi-color image or a monochrome image with appropriate reading resolution by modifying the reading resolution designated by an operator with respect to each page.